The course (source: ClariNews):
Out Par Yards In Par Yards 1 4 402 10 4 466 2 3 235 11 4 415 3 4 455 12 3 187 4 4 434 13 4 461 5 4 407 14 4 439 6 4 475 15 5 583 7 3 174 16 4 441 8 4 362 17 4 480 9 5 607 18 3 190The course was a par-70, measuring 7,213 yards. This turned out to be the longest course ever for a US Open (with Medinah, IL second at 7,195; Medinah was last played in 1990).
The big news: the finishing hole, number 18, was a par 3. This was the subject of much controversy, in that traditionally, the leader walks up a fairway to the cheers and adulation of a huge gallery. At this year's US Open, the leader walks across a little bridge.
Also important was number 6, a 475 yard par 4. For club members, this is normally a par 5.
The US Open courses are tough, and this one was no exception. The primary rough at Congressional is grass that reached well past your ankle. Moreover, the tough turf had a great tendency to grab the heel of your clubs, forcing most players to swing hard to get out.
Tom Lehman has led this tournament going into the third round for the last three years, each year finishing short of first place.
Tiger's game plan for the US Open was placement through irons. He would only use his driver on three holes: 6, 10, and 15.
The plan was not well executed in the first round. Tiger fired a 4-over 74, a round which included 6 bogeys, two of them double-bogeys. Sealing his miserable round was a splashdown on the 18th.
In 4 3 4 4 4 4 3 4 5 35 Woods 4 2 5 3 5 4 2 4 5 34 Out 4 4 3 4 4 5 4 4 3 35 70 Woods 3 6 3 5 4 6 4 4 5 40 74Tiger stirred up more news by refusing to speak to reporters at the end of his round. It was a rough way to start the Open.
He stuck with his game plan, using the exact same clubs off the tee as yesterday, but this time, he was hitting them a little better.
His magic shot of the day, almost holing a 3-wood chip from around the fringe on the 10th green. The announcers said that he had great touch and creativity to try this kind of shot.
On the 15th hole, he found his approach shot "in the obstruction", a movable score board. Faced with rule 24-1, he took a drop, and then he hit a brilliant shot to within five feet to make his birdie!
At this point, Tiger was 5-under for the round, but he put up back-to-back bogeys on 16 and 17.
In 4 3 4 4 4 4 3 4 5 35 Woods 3 3 3 4 3 4 2 4 5 31 Out 4 4 3 4 4 5 4 4 3 35 70 Woods 4 4 3 5 3 4 5 5 3 36 67
His first birdie of the day would come on the par-4 5th. He birdied again on the 10th. On the eleventh, he hit his 3-wood from the fringe of the green, and holed a 40-foot uphill shot, much to his and the crowd's delight.
Play was then suspended due to thunder and rain. You could feel the momentum slipping.
The bogey barrage for Tiger came after the storm left. Bogeys on 12, 15, and 16 set him back. And then play was suspended. Tiger was about to start the 17th, but he would have to finish it the next day. And then start his fourth round.
The US Open finished in gallant style. A four-way tie at 4-under between Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie, Tom Lehman, and Jeff Maggert provided stunning drama until the 17th, when Colin failed to make his putt for par, and Tom put his in the water. Ernie Els would prevail, marking the second time he has won this tournament.